Brendan Schaub is sounding the alarm bells for the UFC after Alex Pereira dropped his light heavyweight title to Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313 this past Saturday. The main event clash at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas ended with Ankalaev (21-1-1 MMA, 12-1-1 UFC) taking a unanimous decision over Pereira (12-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC), and Schaub isn’t holding back on what he thinks this means for the promotion.

Schaub, a former UFC fighter turned podcast host, gave Rounds 1, 3, and 5 to Pereira but didn’t mince words about the champ’s performance: “he fought terribly.” He wasn’t impressed with the UFC 313 card as a whole either, calling it lackluster and pointing to a bigger issue—a glaring lack of star power that he believes is dragging the UFC down.

“The UFC’s in some trouble, man,” Schaub said on his The Fighter and The Kid podcast. “Hey, name their big star. … Ankalaev? How many pay-per-views is he selling? Two: His mom, his uncle – who else? Who do you want? (Alexandre) Pantoja? 125? We don’t give a f*ck. 135? Who else have you got? Merab (Dvalishvili)? Nah, not happening. At middleweight, (Dricus Du Plessis) has a chance.”

Who’s Left to Carry the Torch?

Pereira’s loss might not spell the end of his title run just yet. UFC CEO Dana White hinted at an immediate rematch with Ankalaev, a sentiment both fighters seem to share. But even with Pereira still in the mix, Schaub’s point stands: the UFC’s roster feels thin on fighters who can truly move the needle. Ankalaev might be a technical wizard, but Schaub isn’t sold on his ability to sell fights. And the rest of the champs? They’re not lighting up the box office either.

So, who’s the UFC’s saving grace in Schaub’s eyes? He’s got one name that stands out above the rest. “(Islam) Makhachev is probably their biggest star,” Schaub said. “Pereira is still their most pay-per-view guy, but Makhachev is the biggest star pound-for-pound, and you know, he’s exciting. He’s the one Dagestani that’s exciting.”

Makhachev, the lightweight king, brings a rare blend of dominance and flair that Schaub thinks could keep fans invested. Pereira, despite the loss, still has that knockout allure that drives pay-per-view numbers. But beyond those two, Schaub sees a void—one the UFC needs to fill fast if it wants to keep the momentum going. For now, all eyes are on whether Pereira can reclaim his throne and prove he’s still the draw Schaub believes he can be.